Family life
by Francine2869
Summary: Snapshots of the LopezFitzgerald family and its extended members.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

My idea is to write a chapter every week and I will try to include suggestions that I get from readers. I just had the idea for this chapter after watching the food fight between Miguel, Theresa and Louis so I wanted to write a family story starting with a full family breakfast. Anyone interested in co-writing can contact me. I have no idea if this will be successful at all so we'll see how it goes. I'm trying to include as many family aspects as I can, because I think the interactions between members really contribute to and drive the story. Enjoy!


	2. Family Breakfast

**Lopez-Fitzgerald Family Breakfast **

The back door to the Lopez-Fitzgerald home opened and there was a chorus of 'hello'. Jane ran in to find her cousin Maria so they could play with their dolls and giggle about boys in the girl's room that Pilar had set up for them. Theresa and Jared followed behind her, both hoisting a baby carrier. They settled them on the floor in the living room out of the way, for there were plenty of arms waiting to hold their little boy and girl so they wouldn't be put down again until it was time to go. Theresa barely had little Arabella Elena out of the carrier when her grandmother plucked her out of her arms and started cooing to her. Jared settled Damian Nicholas in the crook of his arms, swaying a bit so the baby stayed asleep. They moved back into the kitchen and were swept up in the family atmosphere. All that was missing was E.J. as they now called him. Theresa and Jared had decided that they couldn't keep calling him little Ethan as he got older and they tried to distance their family from Ethan Winthrop.

"I'm so glad that it's Saturday," Theresa said, "I couldn't wait for the family breakfast. It seems like we haven't see each other at all this week." Pilar nodded, agreeing with her.

"I love having everyone here. It reminds me of when you were children and we would have breakfast after church on Sundays."

"And then we'd spend the afternoon doing homework and reading. I miss those times."

Pilar hugged her daughter and Ari grabbed a handful of her mother's hair.

"Ouch, Honey mommy needs her hair." The women laughed as they extricated themselves. Theresa proceeded to tell her mother about E.J.'s newest obsession with a popular band as they moved into the kitchen.

Food was already cooking and Louis was manning the stovetop where bacon and eggs sizzled. After a few moments Theresa came over and kissed him on the cheek, taking over making the pancakes and Louis teased her about not burning them like she'd done all so often when she was little and trying to be a big helper to Mama. "I'll have you know that I'm an excellent cook. No one ever complains when I make dinner."

Louis tugged on her hair. "That's because your kids are afraid to and Jared is so much in love with you he'd eat burnt toast every night and say it was delicious." She smiled bashfully and sighed as she looked at her husband across the room, holding their son as he talked to Kay. "I'm afraid you're right. He does love me, doesn't he?" The couple shared a loving smile and she blew him a kiss before turning back to the stove. Louis asked about a new contract he had heard Jared mention earlier and Theresa went on to explain.

Kay, Jared and Fancy stood by the window on the other side of the room. Fancy was holding she and Louis's daughter Isabella, or "Bella" as the family affectionately called the beautiful 18 month old. "The twins are starting to sleep a few more hours so Tess and I are getting some sleep throughout the night." Jared chuckled as he patted his son's back.

Kay nodded. "I remember when Maria started sleeping through the night. I was so thankful for those extra few hours. It makes a big difference."

"Yeah, it does. Especially when we have to get up and get E.J. and Jane ready for school." He paused for a moment, feeling his wife's eyes on him. He smiled at her and she blew him a kiss. "But it's totally worth it. I can't imagine not having this life." Kay and Fancy shared a look as the love struck man drifted off. Bella started to fuss and Fancy moved over to the stove so that Louis could take his daughter and soothe her, as he seemed to have the magic touch that she loved.

Paloma and Noah arrived a moment later and they were carrying bridesmaid's dresses that Fancy, Theresa and Kay were going to try on and fit later that afternoon. Paloma couldn't wait to walk down the aisle in two weeks and become Noah's wife. She was so grateful that she'd found such a warm and caring man to marry. Noah went to join Jared by the window as Kay and Fancy joined her in the girl's room with Maria and Jane to ooh and ahh over the dresses. "Where's E.J. this morning?" She questioned.

"Theresa said that Ethan took him to a baseball game last night and he's going to drop him off this morning."

"Breakfast is ready!" Louis called and everyone rushed to pull up a chair at the table. There was some good natured shoving between brothers, sisters and in laws but everyone finally settled down to hear Pilar say grace. She looked down from her spot at the end of the table and smiled at her family, so happy that they were all together and so blessed with what they had. Everyone bowed their heads and she spoke a few words to the Lord, thanking him for his blessings and the gifts that he had given them.

Dishes of food were passed around and conversation bounced from wedding plans to baby stories to Jane and Maria's school field trip to the zoo coming up this week. The people at the table saw each other at least a few times a week and talked every day, but it always seemed that there was a wealth of information they hadn't shared. There was stories told time and time again that everyone laughed and moaned at and teasing brought back childhood memories for Miguel, Louis and Theresa that they were forced to share with their significant others, no matter how embarrassing. The two younger girls finished quickly and raced back to their room, making Aunt Fancy promise that she would come look that their fashion show later on. The adults lingered over the food and cups of coffee, relaxing in the cozy atmosphere. Ari started to fuss and Theresa nursed her at the table, draping a blanket over her shoulder for a measure of privacy. She just grinned at Miguel when he complained about her finally having a good excuse for getting out of doing dishes. She told him that if he had is own baby he might have an excuse too and he smiled bashfully, looking at his wife under his eyelashes. Theresa looked back and forth between them. "You're having another baby!" Kay nodded, rubbing her stomach with her right hand. "We just found out from Eve yesterday. I'm about 7 weeks along." There was a round of hugs and kisses on the cheek as the new announcement was celebrated. Theresa propped her daughter up on her shoulder when she finished feeding her and was burping her when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," she volunteered, "it's probably Ethan dropping off E.J."

She left everyone questing and congratulating Miguel and Kay in the kitchen as she walked through the living room. The door opened before she could get there and her son rushed in, blue eyes sparkling. Ethan stood in the doorway, watching her.

"Hi mom! The game was awesome and I had a hotdog and pretzels and—"

"Honey, slow down for a minute. Come give me a hug. I missed you last night." He dropped his backpack by the front stairs and rushed into her arms as she knelt down.

"Hi Ari!" He kissed the baby's cheek and Theresa's heart warmed as it always did when her son was such a good older brother. "Is everyone in the kitchen mom, I want to show them the souveniers I got!"

"Yes, but say thank you and goodbye to Uncle Ethan before he leaves." E.J. ran over and hugged Ethan, thanking him profusely for taking him to the game and buying him his gifts. Theresa felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to face her husband. "This little guy is getting fussy. I think it's his turn to be fed."

"Alright, I'll switch you. She just has to be burped." She handed Ari to him and picked up Damian, cuddling him against her. LE came back over to them and Ethan motioned to Theresa that he wanted to talk to her so she reluctantly nodded.

"Hi dad! I've got to show you what I got at the ball game last night!"

"Okay buddy. I think there's also some pancakes in the kitchen with your name on them. Come on." Jared gave her a quick kiss and shot a warning glare at Ethan before they moved off to the kitchen. Theresa walked to the doorway and looked at Ethan, waiting for him to speak.

"I, uh, hope that you don't mind that I bought him that stuff. I just knew he wanted it and…"

"Ethan, I think it's great that you took him out and got him some cool souveniers. I'm glad that he still has a good time with you."

She shifted Damian to the crook of her arm as he started fussing again and looked over her shoulder as laughter erupted from the kitchen. She looked back at Ethan to see him watching the baby's face as his big brown eyes looked around.

"He's getting so big. I haven't seen him in a while." Which wasn't a surprise. Theresa usually tried to avoid Ethan if she could, which was pretty easy since she stayed pretty busy with work and family things. She passed him the hall sometimes but didn't stop to talk, after all, what did they have to talk about?

"Ethan, if that's all, I'd like to get back to my family." He looked up at her, seeming slightly dazed. "Oh, yeah, right. I have to get going anyway. Gwen and I are going out for dinner with Rebecca out." Theresa merely nodded, taking ahold of the doorknob. He backed out of the door and waved at her before turning to walk to his car. She shut the door soon after and put him out of her mind as she walked back to the kitchen.

* * *

Ethan glanced back as he heard the heavy door shut before he even stepped off the porch. He and Gwen didn't really have plans. He was pretty sure that she hadn't come home last night and was probably out with Andre, a collegue at work who he was pretty sure she was having an affair with. She hadn't taken any pains to hide it just as he hadn't taken any effort to question her about it or try and repair their marriage as it fell apart. He remembered the day that things had started to turn. About a month after Jared and Theresa's wedding, when they'd returned from their honeymoon and settled into their new house with Little Ethan and Jane, Gwen had stopped fighting for their marriage. She was apparently satisfied that she had won and that he wasn't going anyway, but without the excitement and drama she quickly became bored and started spending more time at work and going out with friends at night. Ethan went to work each day and tried to immerse himself in it, but he always seemed to have enough time to daydream about what might have been. 

If he'd been able to see his future all those years ago, or even one year ago, he could have made some very different choices and he could have been the one sitting in there today with Theresa and their family. He could have belonged to the caring and accepting Lopez-Fitzgerald clan and shared the support and laughter that they brought to one another. He could have had his sisters Kay and Fancy and brother Noah as other in-laws to commiserate with, although he was quite sure that in laws were treated as equals in that house. He could watch his children play and grow up with their cousins and wonderful aunts and uncles as role models.

What was he left with now? A 9 to 5 job with a cutthroat law firm that he was beginning to resent, a wife that simply didn't care about him or their marriage anymore. A mother in law that he couldn't stand and was disgusted by and a mother he wouldn't trust to watch his children any day of the week. True, he still had his father and Kay and Jessica and Noah, but Kay and Noah were spending more and more time with their significant others and the Lopez-Fitzgeralds and Jessica was in an alcohol rehab centre. She was doing well but she had mentioned moving to a new town for a few years to start a new life on her own before she could come back and deal with everyone in Harmony without embarassement, anger or shame. As a young man he'd thought he'd had it all and would live a long happy life with his family. What he wouldn't give now to go back and tell his younger self what was going to happen and beg him to correct it before it was too late.

* * *

He moved to his car and spotted E.J.'s (he was still upset that Theresa had asked him not to refer to the boy by his given name) suitcase in the backseat. The clothing probably didn't matter but the boy's teddy bear was in the case and he'd only start to miss it around bedtime. He picked the bag up and stepped back onto the front porch. He was reaching a hand to knock when he heard loud laughter coming from inside. He looked through the window to see the family spread around the living room. Kay and Pilar were laughing over some photo albums in the window seat while Miguel read to Maria in a corner. Louis and Fancy were cuddled up in an easy chair, blissfully unaware that anyone else was in the room. Little Ethan and Jane were playing with some dinky cars on the carpet, running them over a play mat. Theresa and Jared were settled on the couch as she say with her back leaning up against his chest. He whispered in her ear and she nodded, watching the two older children play. He could see Noah and Paloma holding the twins as they talked in the kitchen. 

Ethan lowered his arm, not willing to knock and disturb the scene. His entire family was in there, his brother and sisters, his children, the woman he'd grown up thinking of like a mother and the woman that he loved. For a single blissful moment he let himself imagine what it would be like to have that reality that only existed in his dreams. He'd be still full from the delicious breakfast that they had prepared and eaten together. His children would be laughing, secure in the knowledge that they were loved. He'd be able to feel Theresa's body resting against his as they watched their siblings. He imagined hearing one of the babies start to cry and reaching up to receive the small, warm body from Noah. His son, looking up at him with Theresa's soulful eyes, trusting in his father's love and protection. A baby's actual crying broke into his daydream and he opened his eyes again to watch the scene he had just imagined play out in the house, only another man was in his place. He took two steps backwards, quickly, before turning and almost running to his car in the driveway. He got in and started it, pulling away almost before he realized what he was doing. How was he supposed to live like this? Was there anyway that he could fix this? He was afraid that if he just let things continue on the way they were, his heart would get chipped away bit by bit until he was a lonely, bitter old man with no one. He had to try and correct the situation while there was still a chance. But what could he do?

_Question: What should he do? What is Ethan's next move? _


End file.
